A conventional information editing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-353375. The information editing apparatus is used to edit a reproduced form of recorded information which includes one or more images and is recorded on an optical disk. In the apparatus, a part of the recorded information that includes one or more images is selected from the recorded information, the timing of the reproduction of the selected part is specified, the image included in the part is extracted as a representative image of the part, and the specified timing of reproduction and the extracted representative image are recorded on the optical disk as a play list separately from the recorded information.
That is, in the format of the conventional information editing apparatus, information indicating the reproduction position of recorded information is recorded on the optical disk serving as a recording medium and a thumbnail image is generated from the recorded information, the thumbnail image showing what is in the recorded information (herein after also referred to as contents) on the optical disk.
In the method in which a thumbnail image of the contents recorded on the optical disk is specified in the conventional information editing apparatus, it is possible to reset the thumbnail image, whereas there is no device indicating the prohibition of resetting. Therefore, in the conventional information editing apparatus, a thumbnail image set by the user and a contents holder may be accidentally changed by a misoperation of the user.
The present invention is devised in view of the circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide an information editing apparatus capable of preventing an accidental change of a thumbnail image which shows the contents of recorded information, an information editing method, an information editing program, and an information recording medium.